Students from the Hamilton
City Schools Gifted Program gathered last Friday for the fourth
annual bridge building competition sponsored by the Butler County
Engineer's Office. Sixty-six students had constructed toothpick
bridges intended for demolition by BCEO engineers who subjected
each bridge to a load stress test.
Each student was given
toothpicks, glue, and the required dimensions to build their
bridges ahead of time, according to BCEO Design Engineer David
Quimby, who organizes the annual event. Quimby and his fellow
engineers then subjected each bridge to a load stress test. This
process is known as point loading, which refers to applying all
the weight to a single spot that engineers deem the most critical
or vulnerable on a bridge -- typically mid-span. The bridges
are point-loaded until they break to determine which are strongest.
- The winners
--
Aaron, Jasiel, and Anna.
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This year's winner
was Jasiel Brown from Harrison Elementary School whose bridge
withstood 50 pounds before breaking. A very close second place
went to Anna Rhodes of Buchanan Elementary at 49 pounds. The
third strongest bridge withstood 44 pounds and was built by Aaron
Spiers from Pierce Elementary School.
The activity is designed
to teach students in a creative way about the physics of bridge
design and the principles of engineering, according to Butler
County Engineer Greg Wilkens. "But we also want the students
to see some of the fun and the excitement that is in engineering,"
he said. "If we can entice a few aspiring engineers to pursue
this field, that's a nice bonus. We really need to see more kids
get into engineering."
Before the bridge demolitions
begin, students are given a tour of the Engineer's Office that
includes everything from Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD)
technique to a walk in the BCEO's 6,500-ton salt barn. One student
noted that he felt "dwarfed" by the huge mountain of
winter road salt that is stored inside the domed barn.
"It's been a fun
and rewarding program that we'd like to see continue," Wilkens
said. "We appreciate the partnership that has developed
with the Hamilton City Schools to educate local students about
bridge engineering and roadway safety."
- Click on images
to enlarge.
- Students get
a first hand look at BCEO facilities and equipment, like this
camera truck.
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- A demonstration
in the fine art
- of surveying. .................................
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- Bridges await
their fate.
.................... .....................................
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- Here's another
bridge.
........................
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- BCEO Design
Engineer David Quimby talks about bridges.
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- Student looks
on as BCEO engineers test her bridge.
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- A bridge meets
its fate. ...........................
............................
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- Student and
County Engineer Greg Wilkens look on as bridges are point loaded
and broken.
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# # #
For more information
contact:
Chris
Petrocy, BCEO Public Information Supervisor
Greg Wilkens, P.E., P.S.,
Butler County Engineer
Phone 513.867.5744 • Fax 513.867.5849
